Chapter 66: Dawn of Strife
A few days had drifted by since Jingliu and Yasushi had officially started dating. They decided to keep this fresh bloom of affection a secret, known only to themselves and Yinhaie. Yinhaie, who had stumbled upon their secret in the tender hush of evening, confronted them over dinner. Their secret, fragile as a moth's wing, had to be exposed to her in the gentle light of confession.
The entire school had retreated inside, seeking shelter from the relentless snowstorm that had blanketed the world outside. This wasn't unusual — schools typically remained open during such weather, closing only when the storm's fury became too great to ignore. The students clustered together, their collective breath forming clouds in the chilly air of the building.
Furuya's voice broke the silence, his words hanging in the cold air. "It's cold, I'm bored, and it's cold," he muttered, his fingers tapping a restless rhythm on the table. "We can't even play baseball. Why didn't the school build an indoor field?"
Yasushi leaned back, his posture relaxed but his eyes distant, as if looking into a past only he could see. He continued eating, the mundane act of chewing a stark contrast to the tension in Furuya's voice. "A few years ago," he began, his voice steady and calm, "there was a vote, as you remember. They asked if we wanted the baseball field covered or if we preferred a swimming pool for our classes. You know which one won." He returned to his meal, each bite a quiet defiance against the cold and the discontent around him.
"Regardless, they should cover the baseball field now," Furuya said, a hint of annoyance sharpening his voice.
Yasushi looked up, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Do you have the money to donate for it?" he asked. Furuya grumbled in response, turning his attention back to his food.
Their classmates were scattered around the classroom, huddled in groups for warmth or engaged in quiet conversations. The radiators were working hard, yet the cold still seeped through, a persistent intruder. Their days had been calm, a gentle routine settling over them, but that tranquility was about to be shattered.
A sudden burst of screaming and commotion from the hallway broke through their bubble of peace. Yasushi and Furuya exchanged glances before peering out. They saw a student lying on the ground, his nose broken and bloody, while another boy walked away, his shoulders set in a familiar defiance.
"This feels like déjà vu," Furuya said. "Wasn't that guy expelled?" Yasushi nodded silently, the memory of past conflicts surfacing in his mind. Before he could react, a couple of students hurried over to help the injured boy.
Yasushi followed them, a quiet determination in his steps. "What happened?" he asked, his voice cutting through the murmur of concern.
"Some first year came here and punched Nihi after he said he didn't know where... but he knew but didn't say," a girl explained, her voice tinged with concern. "I think he's the younger cousin of that guy who caused the same trouble a few weeks ago."
"Daiki," Yasushi muttered, his eyes narrowing in thought. "He had a cousin here, huh? That's troublesome. I wonder why he didn't do anything after Daiki was expelled and moved?" He pondered aloud, the words hanging in the cold air.
The girl shook her head, her expression serious. "I don't know, but it would be wise to keep an eye out. I heard he's been bossing around most of the first years on their floor. Some say he's even wilder and has a shorter temper than Daiki... Anyway, I'll get going," she announced, her voice trailing off as she turned and left.
Yasushi remained where he was, watching as the students began to disperse. Furuya, shaking his head, broke the silence. "Do you think he'll come after me?" he asked, his voice low.
"No. He'll come after me. I was the one who put his cousin out of commission and got him moved. You don't need to worry — and that girl said he was looking for me," replied Yasushi. They walked back to their classroom, the quiet determination in Yasushi's voice matching the rhythm of their steps.
+-+
"Shall I look into it, Lord Yasushi?" Yinhaie asked as they drove home, her voice steady and professional.
Yasushi and Jingliu sat in the back, the hum of the car creating a cocoon of quiet around them. Yasushi considered Yinhaie's suggestion, feeling Jingliu's silent encouragement as she hugged his arm, her presence a gentle anchor.
"Then, I'd like a brief summary on this person," Yasushi said, his voice measured. "Anything you can find about him, please put it on paper."
"Very well. I will try to have it ready by the end of the day. If not, then tomorrow when you return from school," Yinhaie replied, her tone unwavering.
"Thank you," Yasushi murmured, allowing himself to relax, his eyes closing as they made their way back home. The car moved smoothly through the streets, the world outside a blur of fleeting images, while inside, the calm before the storm settled around them.
+-+
Jingliu had been in hers and Yasushi's shared master bedroom doing her homework, it had been around an hour since they started and she finished it, she closed her books and put them back in her bag and turned around to see Yasushi gone, making her confused. She checked her phone and he had sent her a text saying he was exercising.
She nodded to herself and left the room, her thoughts already ahead of her, searching for Yasushi. She knew exactly where he would be. Ever since they moved into the new house, they had explored every corner and discovered a dedicated exercise room — their personal gym.
Jingliu made her way to the ground floor, her steps purposeful. As she passed by Yinhaie, she paused. "Are you looking for Yasushi, Lady Jingliu?" Yinhaie asked, her tone respectful.
"Yes, is he in the gym?" Jingliu replied, a hint of curiosity in her voice.
Yinhaie nodded. "Yes, he's quite absorbed in his exercise. He may not hear you if you call for him. I tried, but he pretty much ignored me," Yinhaie explained, her hand resting thoughtfully on her cheek.
She entered the room quietly, her eyes immediately drawn to Yasushi, who was deeply engrossed in his exercise. He was topless, sweat glistening on his skin, each movement fluid and precise. Jingliu paused, her breath catching as she watched him, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
For a while, she stood there, unable to look away. Eventually, Yasushi sensed her presence and looked up. He put down his dumbbells and walked over to her.
"Oh, hey, you saw my text? I didn't want to disturb you since you were pretty engrossed in your homework," he said, chuckling softly.
Still a bit flustered, Jingliu awkwardly coughed into her fist. "It's not a problem... Although, do you do this daily? I didn't see you exercise before, either here or back at my place."
Yasushi smiled, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Yeah, it's an old routine of mine. Helps clear my mind," he replied, his voice calm and steady, like the rhythm of his workouts.
He glanced back at his workout setup, then turned to Jingliu. "Do you want to join? Or did you come to get me for something?" he asked, curiosity in his eyes.
Jingliu shook her head gently. "No, I just... wanted to spend time with you. But if you're busy, we can wait until later."
"Nah, it's fine," Yasushi replied, a warm smile spreading across his face. "I've been here for an hour and I'm almost done. I can stop now, but I'll need to take a bath first before we go back."
"Then we can bathe together," she suggested, her voice tinged with enthusiasm. "I usually leave it for later at night, but now's a good time. We can do it before dinner, too."
Yasushi found her eagerness both amusing and endearing. "Sure," he agreed, nodding. He quickly tidied up the gym, wiping down the equipment and putting everything in its place. Then, taking Jingliu's hand, he led her upstairs to their bathroom, ready to share this simple, intimate moment together.
+-+
Hours passed, and Yasushi remained awake, cradling a sleeping Jingliu in his arms. He turned his head, gazing out of the window. The moon cast a soft glow into their room, making shadows dance on the walls. His face tightened as he looked at the moon.
"I can't catch a break with trouble," he mumbled to himself. "I just want a peaceful life now... I did enough of that back then."
To his surprise, Jingliu stirred in her sleep, her eyes fluttering open. She blinked a few times, then looked up at Yasushi, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.
"Sleep..." she whispered, her voice barely audible before closing her eyes and resting her head back on his chest.
Yasushi watched her for a few moments, a gentle smile forming on his lips. He nodded to himself, laying back down. "Yeah... sorry about that," he whispered, closing his eyes and finally letting sleep take over.
+-+
In a hidden corner of Ginsukimura, a group gathered in the dim light. Some sat on wooden crates, others on pipes, and a few simply on the ground or standing. At the center stood a boy, around five foot seven, with short white hair and golden eyes marked by star-shaped pupils. He wore Yasushi's school uniform, a grin playing on his lips as he surveyed his "followers."
"You all know what to do on Friday, right?" he asked, his gaze sweeping over them.
"Yeah, we've been planning this ever since Daiki got kicked out and had to play nice," one of them said, snickering.
"Right, we just need to target that dumbass, what was his name? Dasushi?" another quipped, laughter echoing around.
"It's Yasushi," the boy in the center corrected, his tone sharp. "I already sent you dumbasses what he looks like. Don't screw this up. If we manage to get him back, we can probably climb the ranks within the gang in the other city." His eyes gleamed with a mix of ambition and menace, the grin never leaving his face.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Haruki_Murakami
Haruki_Murakami "등잔 밑이 어둡다." -Korean proverb
"Deungjan mit-i eodubda."
"It's dark under the lamp."
Meaning: This proverb suggests that people often overlook things that are right under their noses or close to them, highlighting the tendency to miss the obvious.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone